Mejorul dynasty
The Mejorul dynasty or house of Mejorul was the a family that took power in Anquandisho and brought about the end of the Age of Decay in early Desan civilization. In common historiography, the Mejoruls are the first dynasty of the Desan. The Mejorul house has a significant legacy throughout Desan history: it was the founder of the Triple Alliance that repelled the Uhara Invasion, and solidified Anquandisho as a capital of a Stellar Empire, spreading its language, Anquanti, through the stars, used in trade and ordinances. Origins The Mejorul dynasty actually was one of the many tribes that inhabited the inland regions of Mars. These tribes were a stark contrast to the civilizations that emerged in the coastal city-states, and were often considered uncivilized and barbaric by the latter, and the two groups were locked in perpetual conflict (though, being Desan, this goes without saying). The Mejorul dynasty was no exception to this perception, but the name of the dynasty comes to us from Anquanti, and in that language means "most prestigious", leading many to believe that among these inland roving bands, the Mejorul were more favorably thought-of among the cities. At some point during the last stages of the Age of Decay, the Mejorul tribe came into war with Anquandisho, a war that ended with the latter's submission and vassalage. The house of Mejorul thus had become the first inland tribe to rule over the "civilized" states of the coast. Despite this, Anquandisho did not take on the culture of their new conquerors - rather the opposite. Mejorul rulers began to dress like the locals and speak the local language, essentially adopting their customs, to the point that today we know very little about what they were from their own point of view. Thanks to Anquanti documentation on the Mejorul tribe, we do know a few things. For one, they worshiped fire - known in Anquanti as the god Huyao - who represented both the elements of fire and earth (since the Desan understood that fire makes earth and metallurgy). These Huyao "cults" are known to have cremated all their dead, always kept some flames lit at all times, and to have meditated near roaring flames to seek spiritual counsel. The lands controlled by the Mejorul tribe were known on Anquanti maps as 'Huyaodishu' or simply Lands of Fire. This probably has a dual meaning - as much a reference to the local practices as to the inhospitable inland climate. During the Age of Decay and the desertification associated with it, like many other inland tribes, the Mejorul were forced to gradually migrate northwards, putting them into extensive contact and conflict with coastal city-states, with which interaction had been more sporadic in the past leading up to that point. But we don't know what the Mejorul called themselves or what their basic customs were, as they were so quick to adapt to ruling Anquandisho that they even changed their name. Conquest of Anquandisho What we know about the Conquest comes from the Great Library of the Ancients on Ichtalu. There, the Ishamshuk have preserved the inscriptions of several steles which record the Mejorul victory. The beginning of these relates the series of military campaigns undertaken by Mejorul Kamin. An excerpt reads: Fairly conventional as far as Desan military propaganda goes. But it continues: Just like the proud declarations of the first excerpt, this is propaganda. But it is propaganda of a different kind, which aims to cast the Mejorul dynasty in a different light. But it continues: It is indeed true that Anquandisho's walls were painted white to commemorate the defeat of its former rulers and of course the success of the conquering ones. This may sound strange to someone unfamiliar with Desan art and culture, however, by painting the walls white, Kamin has effectively erased all existing murals and paintings, destroying the most obvious records of the past. We know that his measure was carried through, as in later years, Anquandisho's romantic nickname was "the white-walled city", a nickname which carried over in the later Desan name for Durre Manthor (then known as 'Baisqia' or white-walled). The last excerpt may also lend some credence to some other ideas about the Mejorul tribal culture - one being an extreme taboo against dishonesty. According to Anquanti records and perspective, the Mejorul way of life was "... to rove the wastes in buggies and trucks, to be precise and speedy with the rifle, and to tell the truth." However, by the time of Kamin's conquest, this idea seems to have corrupted into "your version of the truth" meaning that Kamin effectively was the ultimate arbitrator on what was true and what was false. These are also the last steles which refer to Huyao as 'the' god of choice for the Mejorul dynasty. In later records they indicate (though without outright saying so) having converted to the local beliefs of Anquandisho, which worshiped Tayinkan, or the name for Sol. This is also shown in Kamin's third name: Reyetayleim, or "one on which the sun has shined".